Teachers: be sure to also visit The Basics & FAQ for Teachers.
➨ What is included in the Interactive Piano Method®? Each level’s “package” contains a printed Lesson Book, corresponding online activities, downloadable PDFs (Performance Pieces, Activity Sheets, etc.), and mp3 teacher duet accompaniments and model recordings. The Lesson Book is also provided as a downloadable PDF that can be printed and loaded to an iPad® for backup, for travel, or even for use right at the piano!
➨ Does the teacher have to be proficient with technology to use the method? Not at all. There is a printed Lesson Book, students do activities online, and PDFs are printed. Very simple!
➨ Who purchases the materials? Parents or teachers can purchase the materials. Teachers can:
√ buy packages for students (a parent’s email address is required),
√ tell parents which package to buy, or
√ share the product page via email (click “Share This” and choose the email icon).
See How to Order & Manage Students for more information.
➨ Why must a parent’s email address be used? The website considers each email address to be an individual “user.” It keeps track of the student’s progress with the activities, stores their answers, etc. For siblings, each child must have their own account, and a parent email address should be used. Families with multiple siblings can be registered using the same parent email address with our new “Add/Edit a Family” feature. For more information, see How to Order & Manage Students.
➨ Can teachers order FOR a student? Can teachers order multiple copies at once and assign them to their students? Yes! Once a teacher has created their own account, they can order as many copies as desired, for any students, all at once! Teachers can even stock up on levels and assign them to students any time in the future (with no expiration)! For more information, see How to Order & Manage Students.
➨ How do teachers purchase copies for themselves and create an account? You create an account by making a purchase with your own email address (or login once you have an account) and you can order copies of any levels for your personal use. Note: having a personal “studio copy” of a level automatically creates an account for you, so that you can order multiple copies for your students conveniently!
➨ If I purchase multiple packages at once, can I get a shipping discount? Yes! ALL orders (including those with multiple printed Lesson Books) get the fixed-rate shipping of $3.95. When you purchase multiple packages, you save big on shipping! (U.S. customers only.)
➨ Can I purchase a level for use by more than one student? No. Each login works for one student only. The website tracks the student’s progress with the activities, stores their answers, etc. (Also see License Terms).
➨ How is the method organized? Each level is divided into 10 units. All of the online materials are carefully correlated by unit with the Lesson Book. Whenever a student finishes a unit, there is a direction in the Lesson Book for the teacher to assign the online activities as well as the PDF downloads for that unit, such as Performance Pieces, Activity Sheets, etc.
➨ Where do students work on the online activities? Most teachers choose to assign the activities to be done at home. The student can use any computer, iPad®, or other tablet. (A mobile phone is possible, but not recommended). Students can work on the activities anywhere, even if they’re not near a piano. However, internet access is required.
The activities are designed to be self-directed, and offer students immediate feedback (and help, if needed). They can even work on ear training independently! There are no grades, and students can reset each activity to try to “beat” their own high score. For more information about how the online activities work, see the Student Info page.
➨ For students in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, are there special editions that use “crotchets” and “minims,” etc? Yes! AUS/UK Editions are available for all levels, and include both the Lesson Books and the supplementary PDF downloads. To view those editions in the store, click here.
The online activities are the same for both editions. For student reference while doing the online activities, there are Terminology Equivalency Charts designed especially for students using the AUS/UK Editions, as well as extended “I Need Some Help!” pages.
The AUS/UK supplementary PDF downloads are included as download options on each main level page (click on the colored box that says “DOWNLOAD ALL LEVEL PDFS”). You will have a choice to download the PDFs arranged by unit (to create an all-in-one printout), and/or by category.
➨ How does the student access the Online Materials and Activities? The purchaser is emailed a receipt that includes a link to access the Online Materials and Activities and a link to download the PDF version of the Lesson Book. This PDF can be downloaded (in part or in full) and used in lessons until the printed book arrives.
If the teacher made the purchase for a student (a parent’s email address is required), the parent and student will receive an email with their username and a link to login. Teachers: for more information, see the How to Order & Manage Students page.
➨ How will the teacher know when a parent makes a purchase for their child? The teacher will receive an email notification when a parent buys a package for their child.
➨ What about the PDF downloads? Corresponding PDF downloads (Performance Pieces, Activity Sheets, etc.) are assigned at the end of each unit in the Lesson Book. The assigned PDFs may be printed at home and brought to the next lesson. However, many teachers prefer to do the downloading and printing themselves for all their students. Any teacher who has purchased a studio copy for themselves may print out the materials for lessons. However, the materials are to be used only with students who have purchased a level. (See License Terms.)
➨ Can I download and print all the PDFs for the entire level at once? Yes! For convenience, there is a link to download all the PDFs for the entire level as one larger file. This link can be found on the main level page, accessed by clicking “Online Materials and Activities” (under “My Account” in the upper right of the website). You will have a choice to download the PDFs arranged by unit (to create an all-in-one printout), and/or by category.
➨ What about the MP3 downloads? The mp3 recordings are grouped into “albums” that can be loaded to any mobile device for the student to use at the piano. You can easily find them in your music library by sorting by “artist,” (Interactive Piano Method®), genre (Education), or the “album” name (such as “1B Lesson Bk Practice Tracks” etc.).
➨ Can I use the Lesson Book and other PDFs on an iPad®? Yes, and it’s really easy! With use of a free app, you can even write directly on the music PDF! See Using PDF Music Scores on Tablets.
➨ Does access to the level expire after a period of time? Nope! Students can move at their own pace and can take as long as they need to do the online activities and access the digital downloads.
➨ Where do I go to answer my questions about shipping (including outside of the U.S.)? See our Shipping page.
➨ What if a student loses their printed Lesson Book? Please contact us to purchase a replacement copy: info@carolmatzpiano.com. Upon our confirmation of the original purchase, we will contact you with information on how to purchase the replacement copy. In the meantime, students can work from the Lesson Book PDF that is part of the package.
➨ What are the rules on photocopying? The Lesson Book may NOT be photocopied, except for a student’s personal use (such as avoiding page turns at recital, etc.). The PDFs are licensed for use by one person only. They may not be photocopied, reproduced, or distributed in any form.
➨ When I print the PDFs, they don’t look right; what am I doing wrong? Be sure that you download the PDF to your computer first, before printing (i.e., don’t simply print from your PDF viewer, such as Preview or Acrobat Reader).
➨ What if I have technical problems? Contact us at info@carolmatzpiano.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible!